


Singles Club

by Awritesomething



Category: Nancy Drew (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Post-aglaeca, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29437713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awritesomething/pseuds/Awritesomething
Summary: "So how did we end up being the only people here?" Nancy gestured absently. "Somehow, this doesn't seem fair."Ace raised his eyebrows. "Probably because we're single."--Nancy and Ace spend Valentine's Day together at The Claw.
Relationships: Ace/Nancy Drew
Comments: 11
Kudos: 92





	Singles Club

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! As a gift from me to you, here is my first fic for nace! <3

"Nine on Valentine's Day and The Claw is empty," said Nancy. 

Ace glanced over his shoulder from where he stood at the sink. "Yeah, who would have thought?" 

"Me," said Nancy, with a sigh. She swatted at one of the pink streamers that hung from the ceiling. The decorations were Bess's idea, but the coupons had been Nick's. They'd worked well enough—bringing in mostly teenagers and early twenty-somethings that didn't have the cash to bring their dates somewhere classy. But The Claw wasn't exactly fine dining, so the customers had been quick to leave to whatever else they had planned for the evening. 

"At least there's cake," said Ace. He turned off the faucet and reached for a towel to dry his hands. 

"At least there's cake," Nancy repeated solemnly. She untied her apron and set it off to the side. "So how did we end up being the only people here?" Nancy gestured absently. "Somehow, this doesn't seem fair." 

Ace raised his eyebrows. "Probably because we're single." 

Nancy pressed her lips together. "Well, if I knew it would have gotten me out of work, I would have found a date." 

Shrugging, Ace said nothing.

Even Nancy could admit Nick and George deserved some credit though, as they had stepped in to work before their dinner reservation. Bess on the other hand hadn't come in at all, claiming she had been planning her date with Lisbeth for weeks. But still, Bess had decorated The Claw the night prior, and much to Nancy's surprise, it looked nice. In the dining area, pink and red streamers ran the length of the room, and vases with a single rose sat on every table. Bess had even brought the decor back into the kitchen, hence the stray streamer that hit Nancy in the face every time she walked through the door. 

Nancy glanced at Ace, who was busy putting the last pot away. With nothing else to do, she pulled the plastic lid off the chocolate sheet cake. 

The cake sat on the kitchen island, its sides coated in pink and white sprinkles. It had been popular, and only enough cake for one generous slice was left. Nancy grabbed a fork and pulled herself up to sit on the counter. She then dug into the cake, opting for the side without an excessive amount of frosting. "Not bad," she said, her mouth full. 

Ace watched Nancy, a ghost of a smile on his lips. He stepped closer to the counter and took a fork for himself, his hand grazing Nancy's arm as he reached around her. He took a forkful of cake and chewed thoughtfully. "Chocolatey.”

Nancy laughed, stabbing the cake for a second bite. "Probably because it's chocolate cake." Looking up at Ace, Nancy noticed there was a sprinkle stuck to his bottom lip. She thought about brushing it off but quickly pushed that thought away. 

Ace ran his hand across his mouth. "You know," he said, tapping his fingers against the counter, "being a part of the singles club isn't too bad. We've been a part of worse." 

"If anything, I guess this club is far less life-threatening." She moved her fork towards the cake yet decided against it, no longer hungry. It was over three months now since the Aglaeca ordeal, but Nancy knew the whole crew was still shaken by it—herself included. At their age, time was in abundance. And yet their time had nearly run out. 

Sliding the cake to the far end of the counter, Ace moved to lean against the counter beside where Nancy sat. "How are you doing?" he asked softly.

Nancy shifted, her arm bumping into Ace's. "I'd personally rather be anywhere but here, but—" 

Ace shook his head. "No, how are you _doing_?" 

"Oh," said Nancy. "I'm doing okay. Fine, I think." And that was the truth. Her relationship with Carson was on the mend, and they had just about settled into their new normal. As for her relationship with Ryan, that was a work in progress. But it was still going well, better than she had expected. Nancy nudged Ace with her elbow. "How about you? How are you doing?" 

Ace tilted his head. "Alright, I think." 

A small smile crossed Nancy's lips. "Good." 

"Good," Ace murmured. Nancy looked up to find him already looking at her. She met his gaze and his eyes flickered to her lips—so briefly Nancy was left wondering if she imagined it. 

Nancy took a deep breath, switching her attention to the spatulas that hung on the far wall. Silence fell over the kitchen, and she found herself grateful for it. She had never been a fan of silence, but with Ace, it never seemed to bother her. He was steady in every aspect of her life, dependable in a way the noise she was used to had never been. 

Her day spent at work catching up to her, Nancy felt suddenly tired. Not meaning to, she moved to rest her head on Ace's shoulder. As soon as she realized what she had done, she picked her head up. Yet when Ace said nothing, she hesitantly moved her head back. 

For most of her life, Nancy had preferred to go solo. She had friends in school, ones that were perfect for copying homework off of, weekend outings, and gossiping at sleepovers. But she'd never had friends that went deeper than that. 

At first, it had been strange to realize she could call George or Bess whenever she needed a second opinion on something that was more than trivial. It had been strange to acknowledge that Nick would drop anything to help her, even if their relationship hadn't worked out. It was _still_ strange to admit that as much as she complained about working tonight, she couldn't think of anywhere else she'd rather be than sitting with Ace long after the restaurant had closed. 

Having people you could fully trust was scary. It meant you had something to lose.

Nancy yawned. Pulling away from Ace, she slid off the counter. "I should probably get going. I told my— my dad I didn't think I'd be home too late." 

Ace nodded. "Me too." 

They checked the locks, turned off the lights, and grabbed their belongings from their lockers before making their way out to the parking lot. Once outside, Nancy tugged the zipper of her coat up. Although it was mid-February, it was clearly still winter. 

Nancy looked over her shoulder at Ace, who was trailing a few paces behind her. Reaching her car, she pulled her keys from her pocket and unlocked the door. Just as she was about to slip inside, she heard Ace call out to her. 

"Nancy, wait," he said, crossing the distance between them. 

Nancy rested her arms on her car door, her eyes on Ace as he came to a stop in front of her. 

He remained quiet, seeming hesitant as he met her gaze. 

"Was—" Nancy began. 

"I, uh," Ace said, shaking his head. "I just wanted to say to drive safe." 

Nancy nodded. "You too." She offered him a smile and he smiled back. "Good night, Ace." 

"Good night, Nancy." 

Nancy smiled again, and when Ace began to walk away, she got into her car. As she turned on the engine, she knew they both had left some things unsaid.

Yet, she understood why. 

To have something was to risk losing it. And tonight, it wasn't a risk they were ready to take. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Kudos and comments are always appreciated.


End file.
